(Edmonton) A wildfire raging in Alberta’s Jasper National Park remains out of control as crews work to restore power to the town, locate lost pets and develop a plan to get vacationers out of their stranded campers.
“The wildfires are still very active,” Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said during an online news conference.
Work continued on several fronts. Mr Ellis said ground and helicopter crews were battling the flames, with air tankers on standby.
He added that a plan was being developed and should be ready in the coming days to help people recover the trailers and caravans they were forced to abandon when the order to leave the park was given.
Mr. Ellis also announced that the section of Highway 16 through the park would soon reopen to heavy commercial traffic.
“This is an important economic corridor,” he added.
Alberta Forests and Parks Minister Todd Loewen warned that fighting the fires is expected to become more difficult in the coming days with forecasts of hotter, drier and windier weather.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said.
The flames that destroyed more than a third of the structures in the town of Jasper last week have been extinguished.
In a statement, Parks Canada confirmed that 750 people were involved in firefighting efforts, ensuring the fire does not re-emerge in the scenic Rocky Mountain community.
The town’s 5,000 residents, along with about 20,000 visitors, were ordered to evacuate on the night of July 22. Two days later, a fire sparked by high winds overwhelmed crews and spread to the southern edge of the town, destroying 358 homes and businesses.
Critical infrastructure has withstood the flames. The city is now flushing water lines and trying to restore power, but it remains unclear when people will be able to return to their homes.
Parks Canada says municipal crews also recover lost animals in the city.